Friend Going to Grad School, Probably?

Last Wednesday, Traci Saenz met with her high school friend and fellow senior Jack Steinmann for lunch to catch up. According to Steinmann, he will be graduating this spring and is “going to graduate school, probably.”

After changing his major twice during his undergraduate degree and completing a stint in university studies, Steinmann spent his last two years as a leadership major. Since Steinmann has not found any good job opportunities, he has reportedly decided to apply for graduate schools despite showing no initiative or direction throughout his undergraduate career. Steinmann plans to pursue a Master of Arts in Political Science.

Due to COVID-19, many students are changing life plans last minute to avoid entering one of the worst job markets in recent history. This phenomenon has left university graduate admissions committees inundated with underprepared applicants looking to defer starting their careers.

Reggie Putnam, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts, was contacted by Steinmann to request a letter of recommendation. “I was a little surprised to hear from Jack, especially since he had never come to office hours or emailed me about the course,” Putnam said. “I usually don’t write recommendations for students I don’t know well, but I could tell he was desperate, especially considering he scraped by with a B in my class.”

Steinmann previously planned on backpacking around Europe the summer after his senior year before starting a job but had to cancel plans due to the pandemic. If he fails to be admitted to a graduate school, he plans on taking a gap year to live in a hostel in Vienna for a year. While Steinmann currently has no idea how he will pay for a master’s degree, he is confident that attending graduate school will convince his parents to stop bothering him about a job for at least six months.

Saenz expects Steinmann will begrudgingly earn his master’s degree from Texas A&M University.

 

— Anime Sciences and Magnum OPAS